Purpose

This specification defines the governance process through which engineering observations become recognized AAOE Discoveries.

The objective is to ensure Discoveries are admitted into the Body of Knowledge through evidence, review, and traceability rather than opinion or authority.

Acceptance Principles

Discovery acceptance shall be:

• evidence-driven
• transparent
• traceable
• reproducible whenever practical
• independent of organizational authority
• open to future refinement

Acceptance recognizes the current state of engineering knowledge. Acceptance does not imply permanent truth.

Discovery Lifecycle

A Discovery progresses through the following governance states:

Observation
        ↓
Documented
        ↓
Evidence Attached
        ↓
Architecture Review
        ↓
Accepted Discovery
        ↓
Refinement
        ↓
Superseded (when applicable)

Not every observation becomes an Accepted Discovery.

Acceptance Criteria

A Discovery should demonstrate:

• a clearly stated engineering observation
• supporting evidence
• traceability to relevant artifacts
• engineering significance
• sufficient documentation
• reproducible context whenever practical

Acceptance requires engineering judgment informed by evidence.

Architecture Review

Architecture Review evaluates:

• clarity
• evidence
• traceability
• engineering relevance
• consistency with the existing Body of Knowledge

Architecture Review does not determine engineering truth. Its purpose is to evaluate whether the Discovery meets governance standards.

Refinement

Accepted Discoveries may later be:

• refined
• expanded
• contextualized
• superseded

Historical Discoveries remain preserved.

Rejection

A proposed Discovery may remain unaccepted when:

• evidence is insufficient
• traceability is missing
• the observation lacks engineering significance
• documentation is incomplete

Rejection does not invalidate the observation. Additional evidence may support future reconsideration.

Relationship to Specifications

Accepted Discoveries may influence future Specifications. Specifications remain traceable to the Discoveries that informed them. Not every Discovery becomes a Specification.

Traceability

Each Accepted Discovery should reference:

• supporting evidence
• relevant Case Studies
• Architecture Reviews
• related Discoveries
• influenced Specifications (when applicable)

Future Evolution

Future Governance Specifications define:

• Specification Governance
• Versioning
• Knowledge Domains